The question of what constitutes good
leadership is no less a
fascinating proposition today than it was yesteryear. The more we see
misdirection and poor guidance, the more we can recognize good leadership.
If you have spent any significant amount of time on this planet, you have
probably witnessed, been exposed to or had to overcome poor leadership at some
point in your personal or professional life. While poor leadership can assume
the worst qualities of narcissism and treat dissent as an affront to reason or
an assault on the world order, good leadership embraces timely feedback and
values differing opinions. Whereas poor leadership surrounds itself with
like-minded and “like-looking” sycophants in order to glorify its narrow view of
the world, strong leadership creates a tent that welcomes people from a variety
of backgrounds and relishes global-mindedness. Further, while poor leadership is
often beset by scandal and the “wheeling and dealing” machinations of the
self-interested; effective leadership possesses a moral compass that is
purposeful, deeply rooted and socially conscious.
Now, if I were a pessimistic or morbid fellow, I would probably begin and end
this book right here and write a maudlin epitaph on leadership. In that case, we
could treat the current state of leadership as a fixed and immutable phenomenon
and conclude that leadership is in some existential crisis. But that probably
wouldn’t be good leadership on my part.
So, as I thought about leadership and, more importantly, the prospect of
transformational leadership — the kind that changes hearts and minds and speaks
to the better angels of our nature — I found myself looking for new sources of
inspiration. Those revelations came from a place that, while familiar, would
certainly be unexpected to the masses of people who study, seek and advise on
the subject of leadership development. What I discovered is that a source for,
and example of, transformational leadership lies in a special place otherwise
known as the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ+)
community.
If you remain curious and open to new ways of learning, I can assure you: A
review of the LGBTQ+ community and its cultural values is but one gateway —
albeit an important one — to transforming and revolutionizing your leadership
practice. But throughout my research study, which spanned several years, I
discovered some important information:
LGBTQ+ people are more than the caricatures that mainstream society would
portray us to be; we are perhaps more culturally significant than even those of
us who identify as LGBTQ+ give ourselves credit for.
LGBTQ+ people are as culturally rich and layered as any other cultural group on
the planet.
I also discovered cultural values that, while not exclusive to our community,
are positioned and aggregated in such a way within the LGBTQ+ ethos that they
create a unique, powerful and original cultural portrait that must be
illuminated.
Yet, in the process of attempting to elevate our culture in a new way, something
else happened: I realized that LGBTQ+ culture is a demonstrably generative way
to inspire leaders and to develop new and more effective forms of leadership.
LGBTQ+ people are not just the latest entrants to the ball of would-be
intercultural groups, simply looking to popularize the field of diversity and
inclusion.
By virtue of our lived experience, we are also teachers, conductors and mentors
for how a society plagued by poor stewardship can be guided by transformational
leadership.
Being a transformational leader is more than just memorizing leadership
competencies. It requires our leaders to transform themselves in a way that
balances self-interest with the collective good, chooses inspiration over the
short-term appeal of reveling in pain, and recognizes that intellect and
pragmatism must also be powered with compassion.
Transformational leadership is a consciousness and a calling. It is about
beingness, not just doingness. You must be able to face and lead yourself in
order to be a great leader.
But in a world where leaders are seemingly doing twice as much work with half as
many resources as their predecessors, the “how to” aspect of becoming a
transformational leader can seem elusive or too complex to master in any
discernible way. According to a Gallup survey in 2020 and 2021, leadership
burnout
is getting worse; managers are experiencing high levels of stress and anxiety,
and the rate of depression among managers has increased in recent years. What’s
more, only 1 out of 4 managers strongly agree that they can maintain a healthy
balance between work and their personal commitments. And unfortunately, analysts
expect the current leadership trends to continue among massive shifts in the
labor market.
As more and more people quit their jobs in the era of the Great Resignation,
leaders are facing more pressure to transform their working environments for
existing workers while creating an appealing and inclusive
workforce
for prospective employees. Given these dynamics, it’s hard to imagine that
leaders have the wherewithal to be transformational when the proverbial ground
they are standing on feels unstable.
Therefore, to support current and burgeoning leaders and to ensure that any
fledgling attempts to be positively impactful and transformational are
successful, our job as thought leaders is to provide modern, relevant and
generative frameworks for our leaders to be the stalwarts the world needs them
to be. Cultural
genius™ is the
social, intellectual and leadership acumen that social groups (particularly,
minoritized communities) develop by virtue of their cultural pathway.
Fortunately, by virtue of their cultural genius, LGBTQ+ people have provided a
cultural blueprint and powerful case study that not only exhibits
transformational leadership, but also teaches every leader how to begin that
journey of personal growth.
Naturally, there will be some who will chafe at the notion that the LGBTQ+
community holds value, much less that it can teach anything valuable about
leadership. There will be some who will try to reduce this
book’s
theme to cultural egoism; or that it is the latest in embellished, progressive
propaganda designed to re-engineer society and eradicate traditional values.
Such thinking would not only be rash but foolhardy. Not only would those
naysayers be ignoring the increasing visibility and ubiquity of the LGBTQ+
community, they would also be dismissing the import of the lessons that the
community is trying to impart. And given then the depth, magnitude and breadth
of the challenges we face as a society in the 21st century, we cannot afford to
leave any wisdom on the table — even if it comes from a community that is still
irrationally discriminated against and massively misunderstood.
The leadership wisdom inherent in LGBTQ+ cultural values should not be
determined by the relative obscurity in which they have unfolded, but by the
persistent results they have created. Despite the sum weight of the church, the
political system, and the social craze to eliminate LGBTQ+ sensibilities and
influence; the community remains a fixture in our social fabric. LGBTQ+ people
have changed the world in qualitative and quantifiable ways, which is in no
small part due to the values we adhere to in our cultural journey on a customary
basis.
For example, one under-recognized aspect of Queer leadership is the ability to
interrogate oneself and be self-reflective as a way of generating greater
self-awareness. Self-identified Queer people across the world initiate a
self-discovery process (commonly known as “coming out”) that allows them to
clarify their values, sensibilities and persona. By “coming out,” the Queer
person is saying: “I want to realize my full potential and fully harness the
talents I possess in order to live a more fulfilled life.” In turn, a more
fulfilled life leads to a more conscious existence; and a more conscious
existence leads to a more inclusive and conscientious world where others can
leverage their talents and become their “best selves.”
In the context of leadership, the importance of seeking “self-actualization”
cannot be understated — particularly, as leaders model behaviors for other
people. If leaders take the opportunity to explore their strengths and
frailties, then others within their community will also seek to understand
themselves more fully. If leaders possess the courage to reveal themselves and
their values and showcase their authenticity, then others within their sphere of
influence will also demonstrate the confidence to be themselves. And if leaders
can create the space to peer into all aspects of their being, regardless of
whether those aspects are positive or negative; those same leaders will be able
to recognize where they are inspiring growth and high performance, and where
they are limiting innovation and human potential. The aforementioned qualities
are essential to facilitating transformational leadership.
As with most cultural phenomena, outsiders may see “coming out” as just a
superficial or self-promoting exercise; but it is the culmination of a long,
arduous journey whereby Queer individuals examine and explore who they are. And
although leadership is typically thought of as an external orientation, it more
importantly has an internal dimension that is critical for inspiring change at
any level. A person can’t lead others if they cannot lead themselves. The
ability of Queer people to embrace self-awareness, discernment and
perceptiveness are just a few of the LGBTQ+ cultural values that can inspire
leaders in any industry, organization or community; and as more people become
aware of the cultural gifts and ethos of the LGBTQ+ community, the more we can
elevate our appreciation of this misunderstood community and the more that we
can correct our sometimes misguided application of leadership.
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Joel A. Davis Brown is chief visionary officer for the organizational development firm Pneumos, a public speaker and author of "The Souls of Queer Folk: How Understanding LGBTQ+ Cultural Values Can Transform Your Leadership Practices" (Publish Your Purpose, 2023).
Published Aug 3, 2023 2pm EDT / 11am PDT / 7pm BST / 8pm CEST